Automatic mop wringer



July 25, 1939. A. PALMER AUTOMATIC MOP WRINGER Filed Aug. 26, 1937 2Sheets- Sheet 1 1/ I I I 4 I 1 fl I.. 1 l

I 4 6 V 1 L July 25, 1939. A. PALMER AUTOMATIC MOP WRINGER' Filed Aug.26, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 llll III

Himm

AZZe Z PdZwzer Patented July 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEApplication August 26,

Claims.

The invention aims to provide a new and improved device for applicationto a bucket or the like, for the purpose of wringing a floor mop.

In carrying out the above and, a further object is to provide a novelconstruction which will automatically exert squeezing pressure upon themop, simply by inserting said mop and pushing downwardly upon itshandle.

A still further object is to provide a construction which is rathersimple and inexpensive, yet easily operated, efficient and durable.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subjectmatter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplishedby reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of. the wringing device, showing the bucketwith which it is to be used, in dotted lines, said wringing device being20 shown in position toreceive a mop.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the wringing device and thebucket showing the mop inserted in dotted lines and illustrating the mopsqueezing parts in operative position.

The construction selected for illustration will be rather specificallydescribed, with the understanding however, that within the scope of theinvention as claimed, numerous variations may be made.

A horizontally elongated frame 5 is provided to rest upon a bucket orthe like 6, and if desired appropriate means (not shown) may be providedfor connecting said frame and bucket. If the usual bucket handle besufficiently long to swing 5 upwardly over the frame 5 and parts carriedthereby, said handle may be used for carrying both the bucket and theentire wringing device. Otherwise said wringing device may be providedwith a suitable handle (not shown) which will serve as carrying meansfor both the wringing device and the bucket if the latter be connectedwith the frame 5.

The side bars of the frame 5 are denoted at l and the end bars at 3, andover one of these end bars, a suitable guide 9 is preferably provided toguide the mop into the bucket for slushing. The side bars I are providednear one end of the frame with upstanding posts It and are provided nearthe opposite end of said frame with similar posts til for a purpose toappear.

A U-shaped frame H is provided to extend into the bucket E and toproject somewhat above said bucket, the side arms l2 of said frame Hbeing offset outwardly at their upper portions and having said upperportions suitably secured 1937, Serial No. 161,151

at I3 to the intermediate portions of the side bars '3 of the frame ii.

A horizontally elongated carriage bar H!- extends between the lowerportions of the arms I2 and is slidably connected with said arms,

preferably by providing it with slots 15 through which these arms pass.The ends of the bar [4 are connected by coiled springs l6 with suitableparts of the frame structure, said springs acting to yieldably hold saidbar 54 in a raised position (Fig. 1). In the present disclosure, theupper ends of the springs it are engaged with eyes IT at the juncture ofthe arms 12 with the side bars I, and said eyes may well constituteportions of eye bolts or the like for securing said arms and side barstogether.

Two swingable arms l8 are disposed at one side of. the carriage bar l4and incline steeply therefrom through one end of the frame 5, and twoadditional swingable arms w are disposed at the opposite side of saidbar Hi and incline steeply therefrom through the other end or throughthe intermediate portion of said frame 5. Bolts l9 pass loosely throughopenings in the lower ends of the arms l8 and 18 and pass through otheropenings in the bar I4, and coiled over-load springs 29 are mounted onsaid bolts. This construction permits the upper ends of the arms It toswing toward the upper ends of the arms l8 and vice versa, and alsopermits the lower ends of said arms l8 to yield away from the lower endsof the arms Hi and vice versa, to relieve strain on the parts whenwringing a mop, as will be hereinafter more apparent.

Suitably secured to the upper portions of the arms I3, is a wall 2!, anda similar wall 2| is secured to the upper portion of the arms I8 thewall 2| being preferably of greater height than the wall Zi andbeingcurved to constitute a back stop 22 which is instrumental in guiding themop into the space between the two walls 2| and Zi A bottom 23 extendsbetween the lower portions of. the walls 2! and Zi and cooperatestherewith in forming a receptacle to receive the mop. While this bottommay be mounted in any suitable way, I have shown it secured to the loweredge of the wall 2! and passing under the wall 2%, said bottom beingprovided with slots 24 through which the arms l8 pass. Preferably asubstantially U-shaped reinforcing frame 25 supports the bottom 23 andis secured at its ends to the arms 58.

Two horizontally elongated carriages 26 are slidably connected at theircentral portions with the upper end portions of the side arms l2 offrame H. Levers 21 are fulcrumed between their ends at 28 to thecarriages 26, at one end of the latter, said levers declining steeplytoward the end of the frame 5 which is provided with the posts ID, thelower ends of said levers being connected with the upper ends of saidposts by pivoted links 29. The upper ends of the levers 21 are connectedsuitably with the upper portions of the arms I8, a rock shaft 30integral with said levers being engaged with suitable arm-carriedbrackets 3| for this purpose, in the present showmg.

Additional levers 2! decline steeply toward the end of the frame 5 whichis provided with the posts W, the intermediate portions of these leversbeing fulcrumed at 28 to the ends of the carriages 26 remote from thelevers 21. The lower ends of these levers 2! are connected with theupper ends of the posts ||l by suitable hangerlinks 29 The upper ends ofthe levers 2'! are pivotally connected with the upper ends of the arms|8 in any suitable manner. In the present showing, it may be consideredthat the rod 30 is secured to' the arms l8 and to the wall 2| and thatthe upper ends of the levers 2! are pivotally connected with the ends ofsaid rod 30 By normally holding the carriage bar 4 in a raised position,the springs I6 similarly hold the arms l8 and l8 the walls 2| and 2| andthe bottom 23 in a raised mop-receiving position. When the mop is placedbetween these walls 2| and Zl and pushed downwardly, said walls 2| and2l the bottom 23, the arms I8 and l8 and the carriage bar Hi all movedownwardly together, during which movement, the levers 21 and 21 arecaused to swing from the position of Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 2, with theresult that said levers inwardly swing the arms l8 and I8 and the walls2| and 2 l to effectively squeeze surplus water from the mop. As soonas. the downward pressure upon the mop handle is relieved, the springsl6 return the carriage l4 and parts connected therewith to raisedposition, and at the same time, the levers 21 and 21 and associatedparts return to their normal positions, again separating the walls 2|and 2 l and again placing them in readiness to next receive the mop.

It will be seen from the foregoing that novel and advantageousconstruction has been disclosed for providing an expansible andcontractible mopsqueezing receptacle which is movable by a downward pushon the mop handle, from a normally raised mop-receiving position to alowered mopsqueezing position. Obviously this same general result couldbe obtained with variations over the present disclosure and it istherefore to be understood that this disclosure is illustrative ratherthan limiting.

When the specific construction herein shown or a similar construction isemployed, the levers 21 and 21 may have a tendency to continue inwardlypushing the upper ends of the walls 2| and 2| after the lower ends ofsaid walls have moved inwardly as far as the compressed mop will permit.When this occurs, the over-load springs l9 permit the lower ends of thearms l8 and l8 to move away from each other, relieving strain upon themand associated parts.

It is preferable to suitably connect the side arms I 2 of the frame Hwith the side bars I of the frame 5, by suitable braces 32 but if I2 andI should be welded together or secured in some other way which would notrequire bracing, said braces could of course be dispensed with.

Excellent results may be obtained from the general construction shownand described, but attention is again invited to the possibility ofmaking variations within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A mop wringer comprising a supporting frame having a vertical track,a carriage slidable along said track, arms connected with and extendingupwardly from said carriage for movement toward and from each other, theupper ends of said arms being provided with spaced mop-squeezingmembers, an additional vertical track carried by said frame, anadditional carriage slidable vertically on said additional track andelongated in the direction in which said arms are swingable, upwardlyconverging inclined levers fulcrumed between their ends to the ends ofsaid additional carriage, hanger links hung from portions of said frameand pivoted to the lower ends of said levers, and means pivotallyconnecting the upper ends of said levers with said arms, wherebydownward pushing of said arms will cause said levers to swing said armsinwardlyto squeeze the mop, and restoration of said arms to raisedposition will cause said levers to swing said arms outwardly to releasethe mop.

2. A mop wringer comprising supporting means having a vertical track, acarriage slidable along said track, arms extending upwardly from saidcarriage for movement toward and from each other, means operativelyconnecting said arms and carriage and including portions yieldable underover-load, the upper ends of said arms being provided with spacedmopsqueezing members, and means operatively connected with said arms andsaid supporting means for swinging said arms inwardly toward each otherwhen they are pushed downwardly to cause said mop-squeezing members tosqueeze the mop and for swinging said arms outwardly away from eachother when they are restored to raised position.

3. A mop wringer comprising a supporting frame having a vertical track,a carriage slidable along said track, arms connected with and extendingupwardly from said carriage for movement toward and. from each other,the upper ends of said arms being provided with spaced mop-squeezingmembers, an additional vertical track carried by said frame, anadditional carriage slidable vertically on said additional track andelongated in the direction in which said arms are swingable, upwardlyconverging inclined levers fulcrumed between their ends to the ends ofsaid additional carriage, means operatively connecting the lower ends ofsaid levers with said frame, and means pivotally connecting the upperends of said levers with said arms, whereby downward pushing of saidarms will cause said levers to swing said arms inwardly to squeeze themop, and restoration of said arms to raised position will cause saidlevers to swing said arms outwardly to release the mop.

4. A mop wringer comprising a supporting frame having a Vertical track,a carriage slidable along said track, arms connected with and extendingupwardly from said carriage for movement toward and from each other, theupper ends of said arms being provided with spaced mop-squeezingmembers, an additional vertical track carried by said frame, anadditional carriage slidable vertically on said additional track andelongated in the direction in which said arms are swingable, and meansoperatively connecting the ends of said additional carriage with saidarms and said frame for swinging said arms inwardly to squeeze the mopwhen said arms are pushed downwardly, and for again swinging said armsoutwardly to normal position when said arms are restored to raisedposition.

5. A mop wringer comprising a horizontal frame to rest on a bucket rim,two spaced vertical tracks secured to and projecting downwardly fromsaid frame for reception within the bucket, a depressible carriage barextending horizontally between and slidably connected with said tracks,upwardly diverging arms pivoted to said carriage bar, a mop receptaclehaving spaced side walls secured to said arms, and means operativelyconnecting said arms with said horizontal frame for inwardly swingingsaid arms and side walls when the receptacle and arms are depressed, andfor again outwardly swinging said arms and side walls when saidreceptacle and arms are restored to raised position.

ALBERT PALMER.

